


Unmasked Not Unmade

by Amledo



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Boba Fett Needs A Hug, Din Djarin Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Fluff, Fluff, Good Parent Din Djarin, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mandalorian Adoption (Star Wars), Mandalorian Clans (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28140087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amledo/pseuds/Amledo
Summary: A quick snippet set post S2E7--The Believer.  Boba may not be the best man for the job, but he's going to try anyway.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Boba Fett, Din Djarin/Boba Fett
Comments: 20
Kudos: 484





	Unmasked Not Unmade

Unmasked Not Unmade

Din had been quiet and stone still for several hours now and Boba was beginning to worry about the other man's well-being. They had recorded and sent the message to the Moff, and that had been the last Boba had heard from him despite him being a few feet away sitting in the co-pilot's chair.

Surviving alone in the desert had given him many chances to appreciate the peace of silence, but this was different, tense and uncertain. Din hadn't even said a goodbye to Marshal Dune who was by all accounts a great friend of his. And while she hadn't seemed offended by it, Boba had seen the concern in her expression when she looked his way. Perhaps sensing the Mandalorian's distress, Fennec had gone below decks, claiming to need a rest after the events of the day.

No, something was wrong and it would be down to Boba to get to the bottom of it. He very nearly sighed at that, after all, he was not the most well-equipped or well-adjusted person for the job. But it was his ship, he was a fellow Mandalorian, and he did owe Din greatly for the return of his armor. Hell, he had all but lived in it except to sleep and repair it.

Of course Din had still been awkward about him showing his face, but it seemed to be less of an issue now that the mission had been completed.

And that brought Boba up short.

"Are you stony silent in determination? Or did having to wear someone else's armor rub you the wrong way?" Boba glanced back, "Because I get it, I do, it's like putting on someone else's skin," he said and Din's body grew even more tense.

"Not the armor, it was uncomfortable, but it wasn't the armor that was the problem," Din drew a shuddering breath loudly enough that his modulator picked it up. "The Empire knows my face, a living being has seen my face and I don't know how to feel. I've seen others remove their helmets casually, but that's now how I was raised," Din said slowly and carefully.

Boba was silent for a long moment, his head bowed as he thought about his next words.

"You had no choice?" Boba asked in a measured voice, not looking back at the other man.

"The terminal required a face scan and I had to be the one," Din said quietly, voice almost strangled.

"Who saw?" Boba questioned as he turned again to look at Din. The other man's head was bowed and he looked defeated even without his face exposed to the world.

"The Imperials and Mayfeld, even though he swore he didn't see anything," Din said and Boba got to his feet with slow deliberate movements. Din's head lifted up to track him as he closed most of the distance between them in a single stride.

"The Imperials are dead and Mayfeld didn't see anything, I'd say in this instance you are in the clear, you did what you had to do for the child. But even if you did show your face to someone outside of your clan, it isn't a violation of overall Mandalorian customs. I still accept you at the very least," Boba said plainly and clasped Din on the shoulder with a gauntlet covered hand.

The other man's head snapped up and a strained noise issued from his throat, sounding even more pained in the modulator. Boba did not remove his hand, instead dropping the other on the opposite shoulder, just in time for both of them to start shaking.

This was unexpected, Din was crying, perhaps he had been doing so silently before, but now heavy sobs wracked his body until he was curled forward with his head pressed into Boba's stomach. It was obvious that Din was not simply crying over the acceptance that Boba offered, but grieving for everything that he had lost, his creed, his child, and his ship, all gone. No, Boba understood what pain he was feeling and continued to hold on, letting him get it out.

"I did what I had to do to get my son back," Din's voice was ragged and thick with tears and it hit Boba like a seismic charge.

"Your son?" Boba dared to ask and Din froze up, even his breathing came to a halt.

"Yes. It took me losing him to realize it, but yes. He's my son. I am quested to return him to his people, but one Jedi has already rejected him, what's to say the rest won't as well? No, he'll stay with me," Din acknowledged.

"We'll have him back beside you soon. We know where to find him and we will not let him slip through our fingers," Boba swore softly and Din pressed closer into Boba's stomach still breathing heavily.

"Thank you, I owe you far more than the return of your armor. I'm in your debt," Din said and Boba slowly dropped into a crouch, bringing their faces into alignment with one another. The helmet was inscrutable but Boba didn't care in that moment, he carefully leaned in and pressed his forehead against Din's helmet. He had been detached from Mandalorian culture for a long time, but he still knew the significance of the action and hoped against hope that it would be accepted.

When Din didn't pull away, Boba breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to clasp their hands together.

"You didn't just give me back my armor, you gave me back my link to my father and my culture. The least I can do, the very least, is welcome you into my clan. I can give you safe haven, a ship, a home. Will you accept my offer?" Boba whispered and Din's hands clutched tightly at his own.

"What of Grogu?" Din questioned and Boba smiled.

"Is he not part of you? Of course he is welcome," Boba asserted firmly.

"Yes. I will join your clan," Din responded.

"Good. Then you should know that I keep no debts between clan members. And furthermore you may show your face as frequently or infrequently as you wish," Boba stated and Din sagged bonelessly against him, his head dropping into Boba's shoulder.

Things were not back to normal, and wouldn't be for a long time, but for the moment, Boba hoped that this would be enough.


End file.
